If you look the part you’ll get the job – open access version

A while ago I published an article with Julia Yates which looked at the issue of appearance and attractiveness in careers work.

In the article we explore the role of career professionals in supporting people to reflect on and enhance their appearance, attractiveness and self-presentation (career image). The article is based on a review of the literature on career success, appearance and attractiveness.

In it we explore the evidence for a relationship between attractiveness and career, and propose a conceptual framework in which career image is comprised of three elements:

interpersonal skills;

aesthetic presentation; and

beauty.

We then go on to examine a possible role for career professionals in relation to this and critically examine this role. We also propose a research agenda in this area (which we have been pursuing subsequently).

I have now made an open access version of this paper available on the University of Derby research archive.